Wesley S. Williams, Jr.

The Rev. Dr. Wesley S. Williams, Jr., has had a lengthy and esteemed legal career as both a practicing attorney and a law professor since completing his J.D. from Harvard Law School in 1967.  He has also earned a BA, magna cum laude, MA, an LL.M., and a D.Min. degree.

He started as an instructor at Columbia University Law School, while commuting for a year and a half to work for the Washington Office of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference and as counsel to the then newly-formed District of Columbia City Council. He spent a year and a half as legal counsel to the U.S. Senate Committee on the District of Columbia.

In the fall of 1970, Dr. Williams commenced his nearly 35 years with Covington & Burling. Concurrently, he served as an adjunct professor at Georgetown University Law Center. He also served as a member of the Executive Committee of the Washington Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law.

Dr. Williams is the recipient honoris causa of the LL.D. degree from his parents’ alma mater, Virginia Union University, “for pioneering achievements in law, business, education, religion and community service.” Also, by command of the Sovereign Prior, Her Royal Britannic Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, he was dubbed a Knight of Grace (honorary) of the Most Venerable Order of the Hospital of St. John of Jerusalem “for sustained commitment to the ideals of the Order, in service to humankind.”

After his retirement from law practice in 2004, he prepared for and was subsequently ordained to priesthood in The Episcopal Church. In this capacity, he now serves as the Bishop of the Virgin Islands’ Sub-Dean for the islands of St. Thomas and St. John, as Priest-in-Charge of the Cathedral Church of All Saints and All Saints Cathedral School, and as Vicar of Nazareth By The Sea Episcopal Church – the Cathedral, its school, and Nazareth Church all located on St. Thomas. He is the Co-Chairman and Co-CEO of Lockhart Companies Incorporated.